1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates in general to a new and improved poultry hock retainer for poultry or fowl and pertains, more specifically, to a retainer for holding together the hocks of the fowl during processing, transportation, storage and cooking.
2. Prior Art.
Retainers have been provided for trussing the hocks of turkey and other fowl during processing and shipping and for facilitating ease of inspection of the eviscerated fowl. Some of these retainers are secured inside the fowl and have bridles or similar apparatus for retaining the hocks in the desired position. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,615,075, 4,653,146, 4,739,538 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,509 issued to Volk which each show an integral retainer having a bridle and a beam member. The beam member has opposite ends for disposition within the kidney holes of the fowl's pelvic structure so as to secure the retainer thereto. The bridle serves to hold the hocks in trussed position. Although desirable in many respects, these retainers are not readily adaptable to automated insertion in the fowl.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved poultry hock retainer which overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of the retainers currently provided.
Another object of the invention is to provide a poultry hock retainer of the above character which can be mounted inside the fowl in an automated process.
Another object of the invention is to provide a poultry hock retainer of the above character which can be attached to the spine of the fowl.